Search and Assess. What's the correct way?

[ryu_sekai]

Scanning with your head vs. an actual 360 turn of your body after an engagement.

I have always been trained to scan with your head, you can scan the entire area (almost 360) with just your head. When you do a 360 with your body, you are giving your back to the area where the threat was and most likely where other threats are.

Just wanted some of your input on the 360 body turn.

[Jim D]

I think it's more important to be through, and actually SEE what's around, not just LOOK at what's around.

I don't see a need to turn 360, but I made damn sure I see 360. You can see 360 without picking up your feet.

I usually revert to a scanning posture kinda like this (shooter on the far left), after I've sufficiently resolved the problem I was initially shooting at...scanning like this over both shoulders.

[ryu_sekai]

Agreed that's what I was saying, You don't need to do a complete 360 with your body to know your surrounding.

[jnc36rcpd]

In most circumstances, I think turning the head is preferable. If you've engaged a suspect, he or she is either down or has fled. You can't guarantee that the suspect won't reanimate or reappear. I'd prefer to keep my body and weapon oriented toward the known threat area rather than the unknown threat area.

If people are operating as a team, howeve, it may not be a bad idea to have one (or more) team members turn completely around for a more thorough assessment of the unknown area.

Good discussion question.

[tgace]

After a scan to the front at high ready, I typically go to a SUL position and scan 360 with head only. I wouldn't turn my back on what was seconds ago a deadly threat.

[ryu_sekai]

on a side note anyone heard of this guy?
http://www.armeddynamics.com/

[sgtjosh]

Scanning with your head vs. an actual 360 turn of your body after an engagement.

I have always been trained to scan with your head, you can scan the entire area (almost 360) with just your head. When you do a 360 with your body, you are giving your back to the area where the threat was and most likely where other threats are.

Just wanted some of your input on the 360 body turn.

PLEASE don't do a 360 turn on the range...

In all seriousness, I don't know about a 360 turn. Assuming you are advancing on the threat, you have likely already cleared your immediate rear.

In dynamic rapidly evolving situations, there are few absolutes. There are just to many variables. That's why they call it problem solving.

[Axcelea]

I scan with as little as I can which is the eyes, head, and maybe some shoulder shifting. That being said that is how I was originally taught in martial arts so didn't consider anything else, also with my range of motion I easily go beyond just seeing what is directly behind me looking one direction (if I scan to the right I can scan all the way to my back left, likewise if I scan left I go past behind and see my back right, so scanning right I see to 7 o'clock and left I go to 5 o'clock basically) so I don't have many issues seeing things 360 doing just the eyes and head so I might be more accepting.

[NCPatrolAR]

on a side note anyone heard of this guy?
http://www.armeddynamics.com/

No; but his resume should give a good indicator as to what he teaches.


The "turn in a circle" 360 degree scan is something that Tactical Response was teaching as recently as 2009 and if the guy you linked to is teaching it; then that's where he got it.

[Jim D]

After a scan to the front at high ready, I typically go to a SUL position and scan 360 with head only. I wouldn't turn my back on what was seconds ago a deadly threat.

I like scanning to the rear in a very high ready. I personally don't like how easy it is to jam the gun up in Sul (retention wise). If I'm turning and scanning because I'm not sure yet of what's around me, I don't like stacking my hands and not being able to protect myself from high-line strikes.

That's one reason why I'm a bigger fan of the high ready. Elevate the muzzle as required for the situation to not sweep others, but you can still keep that gun up close to your line of sight and keep your arms up high to protect you.

YMMV.